Doggie Dining is OK at 3 Clearwater City Restaurants

Dog groups come from all over the Tampa Bay area to enjoy the dog amenities available at Crest Lake Park.

The city is so dog friendly, they say, that after the time at the park, they take their best friend out to one of the many dog friendly dining options in Clearwater.

Mayor George N. Cretekos shared that story at a City Council work session meeting in March, asking for an update on which restaurants are officially permitted by the city to offer the dining option.

“I think there are only two or three that have gotten the permits and are following the regulations and yet we have them all over the place,” he said. “I would like for us to have that clarification because if a restaurant is dog friendly but is not complying, let's get rid of the regulations so we don't have dog friendly restaurants in Clearwater.”

Turns out only three restaurants currently opened in the city are permitted to allow dogs, city officials said during the City Council work session meeting Monday.

There are four restaurants permitted; however, one of them is no longer in business:

• Chang’s Bistro, 608 Mandalay Ave. Permitted March 6, 2012. Chang's Bistro is closed. The restaurant has reopened as Cali's on Mandalay.
• Pickles Plus, 2530 McMullen Booth Road. Permitted May 24, 2012.
• Post Corner Pizza, 431 S Gulfview Blvd. Permitted Aug. 21, 2012.
• Crabby’s, 333 S Gulfview Blvd., Permitted Dec. 14, 2012.

The city approved regulations that would allow doggie dining options at restaurants, which follow state guidelines, in January 2012. The rules establish guidelines for restaurant owners as well as a permit and complaint process.

The cost for the permit is $75. The fine for an unpermitted restaurant is $130.

Michael Delk, the city’s director of planning and development, said there are no complaints regarding permitted or unpermitted restaurants.

Cretekos wanted the list of restaurants to be given to both the Beach Chamber and the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce to educate them about the permitted restaurants and the process to become permitted, before the city starts enforcement efforts.

Related coverage:

• Clearwater Doggy Dining Options

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